|| chapter 8 ||

All eyes were on Allisyn. Her body was
frozen stiff as if she were in a state of shock. The
tears were still dripping from her eyes. Everyone had
gone silent in anticipation for an answer from
Allisyn. The music was still playing in the background,
but luckily enough for them it was a slow, quiet song
so that if Allisyn were to say something, all of the
people around would be able to hear.

"Oh come on Ally,
tell them. Tell them about Jake. Tell them all about
Brandon and the 'Jane." Shawn urged hurtfully. "Go on,
tell them all. Tell them why you are so good at dancing.
Tell them why you even got that job you did or how
you even heard about the auditions for it."

Seeing as
Howie and Kristen were the only ones who had read Allisyn's
purple paper, the rushed over to her rescue as soon as
they had been informed by some random person of the
dilema going on in the bar.

Just as Shawn was about
to open up his mouth to say something more, sweet, kind,
gentle, non-violent Howie closed it with his fist.

While the attention was turned to Howie and Shawn who
was now on the floor, Kristen took the opportunity to
get Allisyn out of this horrible place. She didn't
think it would be too smart to have her stay in
there in some place like the bathroom, she took Allisyn
out to her bus. Leesa was in at the party, but both of
them knew how to get in without a key because the lock
was half-broken.

Once inside, Kristen sat Allisyn in the
back room on a soft couch. She fetched and moistened a
washcloth from the bathroom and dabbed the dripping
eye make-up. Allisyn's once beautifully done up hair
had fallen out and she looked like a total mess.

"I'm going to go back in and see what's going on. You
stay right here. I'll be back really soon." Kristen patted
Allisyn on the back, smiled in reassurance, and left.

As soon as Allisyn had heard the click shut of the bus
door, she hurried to get to work.

"Hey Atta," A.J. said, pulling her aside,
"What's going on over there?" He asked referring to the
situation in the bar.

"Well there was a verbal fight
between Nick and some guy named Shawn about Lisy. She was
really upset." Atta turned to glance back over in the bar's
direction and then turned back to continue. "So then
Howie comes over and punches out Shawn and Kri-"

"Howie punched someone?" A.J. inturrupted.

"Yup."

"Wow, I didn't know he had it in him!"

"Yeah, well
whatever, just listen. I'm not finished...so then Kristen
takes Lis away and no one has seen eitehr since."

"Kristen's right over there." A.J. provided, pointing
to the door. Kristen was entering back into the party
and walking towards the bar.

Atta began to walk, but
instead her ankle twisted to one side. She started to fall,
but luckily enough for her, A.J. was there. He caught her
in mid air. "Thanks..." She said smiling. Her mind seemed
to be off in another world. Finally she snapped out of it and
after regaining her balance, she looked down at her
shoes. "These things are such fucking nightmares to
walk in."

"Yeah, it looks like they are. They have
good style though, Steve Madden?" A.J. asked.

"Nope. If they were then I could garuntee you that I
wouldn't be having such problems." She sighed. "Wanna'
go talk to Kris?"

"Yeah, I'ld like to know what's
up with all of this and how Lisy is doing." He put out
his arm politely for Atta to take. "Don't want any more
falls now do we?" He joked.

"No, we certainly don't!"
She laughed back. Looping her arm through A.J.'s, off
they headed to find Kristen.

Howie was seated at a booth table. Colette
was soaking his hand in ice from a soda piture. Nick
was sitting on the inside of the booth on Colette's
side looking at the floor in shame for accusing such
as innocent person of such things.

"You know Nick,
you don't have to be so upset about all of this. You
were only trying to defend her." Howie said.

Nick
looked up. He felt so much responsibility for all that
had happened.

"It's alright, Lisy will be fine.
She's a very strong girl." Colette gently patted Nick
on the shoulder.

Just then, Atta and A.J. walked up.
"Where's Kristen? We thought we saw her some over this
way." Atta said, glancing around.

"No...no she hasn't
been here. Do you know where she took Allisyn?" Colette
asked.

"Well not really, but A.J. and I saw her walking
in from outside so she probably went to the bus. It seems
like the most logical place." Atta provided, still looking
around in hope of seeing Kristen.

"Okay. Maybe we
should have someone go out and check on Lisy." Colette
suggested. "So who wants to go?"

"I'll go." Nick
said, preparing himself to get up.

"Maybe I better
go instead." A.J. suggested. He turned to walk away, but
instead, for a little good luck, he grabbed
Atta by the arm and yanked her in towards him for a quick
and sweet kiss. He then brushed past her swiftly as if
nothing had happened in a fast pace not looking back once.
Howie, Nick, and Colette just looked at each other and Atta
stared at him as he headed out the door.

"Lisy, you in here?" A.J. asked at nearly
a whisper as he knocked on the girls' bus door. "Allisyn?"
he said a bit louder, pushing the door open. It swung
open with ease so he stepped up carefully inside, making sure
that the door shut behind him. "Ally? It's A.J. Where
are you?"

He first checked in the bathroom and then
behind the curtains of each bunk. When no Allisyn
showed up, he assumed that he would have to find her in
the entertainment room. "Allisyn?" He pushed the
door open to it. The room was empty of life, but
there ws something laying neatly on one of the
couches. The dress, shoes, and jewelry that he had
bought her lay on it with a note. It read :

Dear AJ,Here are the things that you
bought me back. I do not desreve them and because of
who I am, I do not need them. If this is not AJ who finds
this, then please give this note to him. It is for him as
it reads. To continue AJ, please tell everyone that I have
left and to simply get one of those back-up dancers. I think
Julia would be a good choice. I am simply not cut out
to lead this kind of life. It is not me. Please also
let Howie and Kristen know that I will stop.
I am sorry to everyone for all of the trouble that I
have caused. I truely am sorry.
SIncerely yours,Allisyn

After finiching reading the note that was scribbled
on a fresh piece of purple notebook page, A.J. looked up.
"Oh shit..." He thought aloud. He check her drawer that was
under her bunk and sure enough, it was empty. He took
the note and dashed out of the bus and back inside to find
Colette.